Aerosol deodorant bottle



Nov. 9, '1954 c. A. HOWELL AEROSOL DEODORANT BOTTLE Filed Dec. l, 1951ik w HUUR/VET United States Patent() asas-pss` AEROSOL DEonoRANr BornaCharles Arthur, ll-I'owell;A `rd`sley-on-Hudson Y, as-

signor to The PIarmafCrafi Cnrporation,y New York,

YQ, a corporation of Delaware Thisv invention relates to.: aerosolbottleslandy moren particularly tov an aerosol bottle having al meteringdis? charge valve for discharging theY fluidi contents of*y the. bottlein'measured pus omist or spraya According to the-invention; an` aerosolbottle is pro-- vided having a special valve-arrangement which isadaptedto discharge only a limited quantity off thefluid contents ofthebottle-upon each-actuatiomof the valve.v The special valvearrangement according to ytheinvention comprises a valve housingwhich-providesa-fluidl measuring chamber, avalve stern havingI alshank:r accessible for manual operationfrom theoutside ofA the bottle,a`- valve shank sleeve which is connected tothe-housing in such mannerthat, aresilientgasket serves not` onlyJ toform aneffective sealbetween. the sleeve; and housing but also as-avalve seat` for anoutlet'valveon= the-stem, said sleeve, also providingy an` expansion chamberinl which is a discharge orice. The sleeve whichis connected tothe valvehousingl is so designed as toaccommodate a gasketv to eiectivelysealthejuncture between the valve parts andthe metallic walls ofLthe-bottle'to\prevent escape off the bottle contents fromthe'mainbody'of uidin the'bottle anda cap-is provided which is sodesigned'l as toaccom'- modate a gasket to sealf the juncture betweenthecap and valve stern sleeve and= also toprovide protectionyagainstaccidental displacement ofthevalve stem; The

valve housingis` also provided`` withI an`inlet por-tanda valve openableand closable in response'to-movement of the stem;

The bottle is particularly usefulfordispensinga spray' deodorant; thatis, deodorantcarried ina liqueiied'aerosolL propellant" such asFreon.Such` aerosol spray deodorant bottlesk are on themarket` havingnon-metering valves and it will be' understood" that' this invention'relates i prifor use with other'agentswhich: maybe dispersed as anaerosol by aerosol huid` prop'ellant's such as FreonA and thelike.

The invention will be understood'by referenceto'theaccompanying drawingsshowing' av preferred embodiment, in'which:,

Fig. l i'sa top plan'viewiof the* aerosol deodorant bottle embodyingtheinvention;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevationandf partly in section of the bottle shownin'Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is a view insection-andto largerV scale of the upper end of thebottle showing the valve and related parts; the valve stemandlva-l'vesbeing; in normal position;

Fig.A 4 is al viewA similar' to Figa 3i showing the-valvestempressedldown;

Fig. 5 is-aview online S-Siof-Figl. 4; and= Fig. 6 isa view/online 62--6otFig: 3.

By'reference to the drawings, in which like reference charactersindicatelike' parts throughout.' they several iigures,'.it willbeseenthattherillustrated embodiment comprises a bottle havingA a-cylin'dricalfside wall 20, a bottom closure 21, a top wall- 22, alli madeof metal, acover cap-23, a meteringvalve 24, and a-tubeZS extending from the`valve-to the bottom. off the main body portion-of the bottle.v

Asy isr well known ini4 the art; the fluid propellant, l to'f gether.with,` the deodorantc agent in thex bottle, isl underpressureoftheuidpropellant SOy The top wall 22 of the bottle has acentrally located: upwardly extendingneeki comprising 'a'- cylindricalAside wall 27 having anannular inturnedf a'nge 28- providingacentraltopening- 29; this part of'thelbottl'efbeingof standn ardvdesign now available in thefrnarhet. However, the cylindricallupsta'ndingL wall 27C forming' thel neckportion 26willnothaveb'eencrimped-as shown'latx 30; this crimp ing operation notbein'gperformedl until after the valve parts have been= assembled andinsertedi inl the. neck' portion 26 of thebottle; .f

The valve mechanismcomprises:generallyi aval-'ve housing 31f', a valve-ys'tem sleeve 3Q, a valve stemhaving a valve disc-3'9, acover-cap'ZS',all of which arernoldedfv parts which mayf readily andi economically be`madel or rnoldable plastic material,serI off metal, or other suitable'material, a valve shank'fga'skett 34'; a val-ve sleeve gasket 35, andalvalve-housing-vgashet:3b; allfoffwhiclrare rubber ringV gaskets,preferablysynthetie'rubber of the Neoprene type, ametallic 'helicalcompression spring 37 and aball valve 38- f The valve housing 31i'sgenerally cylindrical having side wall- 40l-terminating atits upp'erendiny an annular shoulder 4l which extends outwardly-trom the wallY andhas an upper 'at annular'A surface 42.-. The bottom` Wall 43- of thehousing has; adependingY centrally bored boss 44' providing aninlet=`portl into'` the chamber dened by the' housing; it' beingf noted1 thatthe innerV surfacei of the bottom wall istaperedlslightly; thus forminga valve seat 45 at the periphery2 of the centrali inletpassagewayl 46'.The central'bore2 47: of the housing is widened at its upper end toprovide-an' annular shelf 48 upon whi'chrests the ringf gasketl 36; thisupper widened borereceiving the tele'scopingf lower=end` 49of the valveLstern; sleevel 32, which rests upon gasket-36:V The upper endi of tube25, whiclris'rnadeof` plastic; tits over the dependingl bossv 4d of thevalve4 housingand tliistubeex'tends to the'r bottom of the bottleasshown' inl Fig" A2. Thus apassageway is provided fromtheA body-` of'vfluidt 50" through the' inlet port5'1of thevalvehousingintothe measuringchamber 52 providedbythe `valvehousing:

The` valve shanlc 53z extends through ringl gasket 34- and through an.aperture in thetopjwall otcapA 23', it being noted: thatthe topwallidtoithe'cap' hasa spherically shapedd'epre'ssion' 553 The shank 53-is vertically slida'ble in the gasket13`4 andi it= willr` be' notedthat' in its normaltposi'tionshown' in Fig: 3", the' topof the' shanklies` flush with theA top:` of'the" cap. The depression' 55- provides`an indentationto accomodate av fingerA when the; valve .stem is manuallypressed' down against the force` of spring., 37. The gasket 34providesan effective seal between the valve stern sleeve 32 and` the cap231 The, valve stem: 335 is., reduced'i'n, s'i'ze. atttlie lower end. ofthe sleeve. providingy a reducedy shank. portion 56' and at theend'of'the shank portion Sois an enlarged annular 'shoulder portionproviding avalveseat-ing portion 57. at itsupper annular'surfaceand arspring seating portion- 58 at' its lower sur-face. DependingA from. theshoulder portion isaicentrally locatecly boss 59 whichfserves as a poston. which to mount the helical compression: spring andi also as. a postto engage. therball 385 andf press the ball onto seat 45 toclosepassageway 46iwhenfthe-valve stern. is pressed down as shown inFig. 4.

The reducedJ shankL portion" 56;hasf a vertical, groove 605in` itsperipheral surfacewhich terminates: at. its: lower endshort ofthervalve: seating poitioni 575 of: the valve In will bev observedf that:the: ring gasket. at.

disc 39; its' central opening hugsL the,- reducedl shankY portion 56andi. Whenl the val've'v stem isL up as shown inv Fig. 3", communicationbetween the measuring chamber 52 (provided by! theA housing 311)E andlvthe expansionfcham-- ber 62- (provided by' sleeve 32)]- is closedvoavWhen the valveA stern ispressed down as shown in Fig; 4; the valvedisc39 is` unseated and the restricted pas-- sageway provides communicationbetween chantw bers SZi-andL 621, through the' outlet portl providedzthrough tliecentral opening of the gasket:y 3U;

The valve sleeve 321 intermediate. itsL upper and? lower ends hasanannularA shoulderfor boss Gl the upperlsurface. of: which` engages; thegasket 315 and the lower surface` oi-wl'iiclrA engages the: upper'surface-` 422- ofthe valve housing 31; the gasket 35 providing anetective seal between the inturned flange 28` and the shoulder 63 toprevent leakage to the atmosphere of vapor gr tlzontents from the mainbody 50 of liquid in the ott e.

The cap 23 is cup-shaped and its top wall has a bore 65 into which theupper endof sleeve 32 telescopically lits, it being noted that thesleeve has a keyway e6 to receive a key 67 molded in the bore 65. Whenthe cap 23 is press tted onto the sleeve the key rests in the keyway.The cap has an outwardly flaring discharge passage 68, the inner end ofwhich registers with a discharge orifice 69 in the sleeve wall, when thecap is in place with the key 67 in the keyway 66.

The valve housing and sleeve are held in position by a rolled crimp 30.This rolled crimp is made in the metal wall 27 after the valve assemblyis put in place in the neck, it being noted that the crimp squeezes theshoulder 41 of the housing 31 against annular boss 63 of the sleevewhich in turn squeezes against the gasket 35, thus to hold the valvefirmly in place.

The bottle operates as a metering aerosol bottle as follows: When thevalve stem 33 is up, that is in normal position as shown in Fig. 3, thevapor pressure on the surface or" iluid 50 in the bottle forces fluid upthrough tube 2S, through port S1 past ball 38 into measuring chamber 52,until pressure equilibrium between the body of the bottle and themeasuring chamber is reached. Only a limited amount of liquid liows intothe measuring chamber because ow out of this chamber is prevented byvalve disc 39 which is then closed and acts as a check valve becausespring 37 urges the stem to normal position and the seating portion 57or" the disc 39 against gasket 36. The vapor pressure in the bottle issuilicient to overcome the weight of floating ball valve 38 to permitthe liuid to flow into chamber 52. To discharge uid from the bottle, thevalve stem 33 is pressed down by linger pressure on top of the stemagainst the force of spring 37. The post 59 engages the bail 38 andforces it to seat to close port 51 and valve disc 39 is unseated so thatrestricted passageway till provides communication between chambers 52and 62, as shown in Fig. 4. The stem is designed so that ball 3S seatsjust in advance of opening passageway 6l). The fluid that is trapped inmeasuring chamber 52 then passes through passageway 60 and expands intoexpansion chamber 62 and is discharged through discharge orifice 69 andpasses through the outwardly flared discharge tunnel 68 as a measured puof mist. No more fluid is discharged than that trapped in the measuringchamber 52 because ball valve 38 is seated and prevents this. To obtainanother pui of mist or spray from the bottle the valve stem 33 must bereleased so that it assumes normal position so as to permit anadditional supply of fluid from the bottle to enter the measuringchamber. Then the valve stem may again be pressed down to repeat thecycle, each actuation of the valve discharging a measured amount of uidfrom discharge orifice 69 as a puff of mist.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used asterms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention inthe use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalent of thefeatures shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognizedthat various modilications are possible within the scope of inventionclaimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A metering aerosol bottle which comprises a main body portion holdinga main body of aerosol iluid propellant, said body portion having a topwall, a hollow neck portion extending upwardly from the top wall of saidbody portion and having an inturned flange providing a central opening,a valve housing providing a measuring chamber mounted in said neckhaving a side wall and a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a port andproviding a valve seat, a conduit for the passage of fluid from saidmain body of fluid to said port, a valve stem sleeve having its upperend protruding through said central opening and its lower end engagingsaid housing and providing an expansion chamber, a gasket surroundingsaid sleeve under said inturned flange and providing a leakproof sealbetween said sleeve and flange, and having a discharge oriiicea valvestem reciprocatable in said sleeve having a stem shank accessible formanual operation from outside said bottle, a gasket surrounding saidstem and providing a seal between said sleeve and stern, an outlet valvehaving a disc positioned in said housing, means providing a seat forsaid -valve disc, spring means urging said valve disc to seat on saidseat, said stem having a restricted passageway which is closed by saidvalve when seated and which is opened to provide cornmunication betweensaid measuring and expansion chambers when unseated, an inlet valve insaid housing, said outlet valve being unseated and said inlet valvebeing seated in response to inward movement of said stem, said outletvalve being seated and said inlet valve unseated in response to outwardmovement of said stem by the force of said spring means.

2. A metering aerosol bottle which comprises a main body portion holdinga main body of aerosol fluid propellant, said body portion having a topwall, a hollow neck portion extending upwardly from the top wall of saidbody portion and having an inturued flange providing a central opening,a valve housing providing a measuring chamber mounted in said neckhaving a cylindrical side wall and a bottom wall, said bottom wallhaving a port and providing a valve seat, a conduit connecting said portwith said main body of uid, a valve stem sleeve having its upper endprotruding through said central opening and its lower end engaging saidhousing and having a discharge oriiice, said sleeve providing anexpansion chamber, a valve stem reciprocatable in said sleeve having astem shank accessible for manual operation from outside said bottle, anoutlet valve having a seating portion, a resilient ring gasket clampedby said sleeve and housing and providing a resilient seat for saidseating portion, a compression spring urging said outlet valve seatingportion to seat on said resilient seat, said stem having a restrictedpassageway which is closed by said outlet valve when seated and which isopened to provide communication between said measuring and expansionchambers when unseated, a ball valve in said housing, said outlet valvebeing unseated and said ball valve being seated in response to inwardmovement of said stem, said outlet valve being seated and said ballvalve unseated in response to outward movement of said stem by the forceof said spring, and a gasket sealing the juncture of said sleeve andneck portion preventing leakage of the contents from said bottle.

3. An aerosol bottle which comprises a main body portion, a top wall, ahollow neck extending upwardly from said top wall and having an inturnedliange defining a central opening, said main body portion being adaptedfor holding a liquid aerosol propellant, a hollow sleeve having adischarge orice and having an outwardly extending annular boss, saidsleeve extending through said central opening and providing an expansioncharnber, a valve housing open at its upper end and having an outwardlyextending annular shoulder and having a bottom wall in which is an inletport, a conduit connected to and extending from said inlet port andterminating near the bottom of said body portion, said housing providinga measuring chamber, said annular boss on said sleeve and said annularshoulder on said housing being disposed within said neck, a sealinggasket between said boss and inturned flange surrounding said sleeve andclamped against said inturned flange, means defining an outlet port fromsaid measuring chamber into said expansion chamber, an outlet valvemovable in said housing for opening and closing said outlet port, aninlet valve in said housing for opening and closing said inlet port, avalve stem shank reciprocatable in said sleeve and accessible from theoutside of said bottle for manual operation, said outlet valve openingsaid outlet port and said inlet valve closing said inlet port inresponse to inward movement of said shank and said outlet valve closingsaid outlet port and opening said inlet port in response to outwardmovement of said shank, and a llexible gasket surrounding said stem atthe outer end of said sleeve providing a seal between said sleeve andstem.

4. An aerosol bottle which comprises a main body portion, a top wall, ahollow neck extending upwardly from said top wall and having an inturnedange defining a central opening, said main body portion being adaptedfor holding a liquid aerosol propellant, a hollow sleeve having adischarge orifice and having an outwardly extending annular boss, saidsleeve pro-v truding through said central opening and providing anexpansion chamber, a valve housing open at its upper end and having anoutwardly extending annular shoulder and having a bottom wall in whichis an inlet port, a conduit extending from said inlet port andterminating near the bottom of said body portion, said housing providinga measuring chamber, said annular boss on said sleeve and said annularshoulder on said housing being disposed within said neck and clampedagainst said inturned ange, means defining an outlet port from saidmeasuring chamber into said expansion chamber, an outlet valve having adisc movable in said housing for opening and closing said outlet port,an inlet valve in said housing for opening and closing said inlet port,a valve stem shank secured to said disc reciprocatable in said sleeveand accessible from the outside of said bottle for manual operation,said outlet valve opening said outlet port and said inlet valve closingsaid inlet port in response to inward movement of said shank and saidoutlet valve closing said outlet port and opening said inlet port inresponse to outward movement of said shank, a cap fitted on saidprotruding sleeve having an aperture through which said shank extendsand having a spray tunnel in registry with said discharge orifice insaid sleeve.

5. An aerosol bottle having a measuring chamber and a valve mechanismadapted to discharge the aerosol uid propellant through a dischargeorifice in measured individual puffs of mist which comprises a bottleholding a main body of aerosol uid propellant and having an upstandinghollow neck with an inturned ange defining a central opening, a valvehousing providing a measuring chamber in said neck having an outletopening in its upper end and an inlet port in its bottom end, a conduitextending from said inlet port and terminating near the bottom of saidbottle, an outwardly extending annular shoulder on said housing, aresilient gasket at said outlet opening providing an outlet port fromsaid measuring chamber, a valve stem sleeve having its upper endextending through the central opening defined by said inturned ange andhaving a discharge orifice and having an outwardly extending annularboss, a ring gasket engaging said annular boss, said annular boss andring gasket being clamped against said inturned flange by said annularshoulder, a valve stem having a shank reciprocatable in said sleeve andaccessible from the outside of said bottle for manual operation andhaving a valve disc in said housing for opening and closing said outletport, a floating valve in said housing for opening and closing saidinlet port, a compression spring in said housing urging said valve discto normal closed position, said valve disc opening said outlet port andsaid oating valve closing said inlet port in response to inward movementof said shank against the force of said spring and said valve discclosing said outlet port in response to outward movement of said springand said oating valve opening under the force of uid pressure from saidmain body of uid when said valve disc is moved to closed position.

6. An aerosol bottle adapted to discharge liquid aerosol propellant asindividual measured puffs of mist which comprises a metallic bottleportion, a metallic hollow neck having an inturned fiange providing acentral opening, a valve housing in said hollow neck providing ameasuring chamber and having an annular shoulder disposed in itsinterior surface, a resilient outlet port gasket resting on saidshoulder and providing an outlet port from said measuring chamber, meansdefining an inlet port into said measuring chamber, a conduit extendingfrom said inlet port and terminating near the bottom of said bottle, ahollow valve stem sleeve engaging and clamping said outlet port gasketagainst said shoulder and having its upper end protruding through saidcentral opening and having a discharge orifice in said upper end, saidsleeve and housing having outwardly extending anges clamped within saidneck, a valve stem gasket resting on the outer end of said sleeve, a cappress-tted on said sleeve and having a central opening, a valve stemhaving a shank reciprocatable in said sleeve and the central opening ofsaid cap, a spray tunnel in said cap registering with said dischargeorifice, an outlet valve on said stem having a seating portion foropening and closing the outlet port of said measuring chamber inresponse to reciprocal movement of said shank, a valve in said housingfor opening and closing the inlet port into said measuring chamber inresponse to reciprocal movement of said shank, and yieldable springmeans engaging said stem urging said seating portion against said gasketat the outlet port of said measuring chamber.

7. An aerosol bottle adapted to discharge liquid aerosol propellant asindividual measured puis of mist which comprises a metallic bottleportion, a metallic hollow neck having an inturned ange providing acentral opening, a valve housing in said hollow neck providing ameasuring chamber and having an annular shoulder disposed in itsinterior surface, a resilient outlet port gasket resting on saidshoulder and providing an outlet port from said measuring chamber, saidhousing having va bottom wall defining an inlet port into said measuringchamber, a conduit extending from said inlet port to near the bottom ofsaid body portion, a hollow valve stem sleeve engaging and clamping saidoutlet port gasket against said shoulder and having its upper endprotruding through said central opening and having a discharge orificein said upper end, said sleeve and housing having outwardly extendingflanges clamped within said neck. a valve stem gasket resting on theouter end of said sleeve, a cap pressfitted `on said sleeve and having acentral opening, a valve stem having a shank reciprocatable in saidsleeve and the central opening of said cap, a spray tunnel in said capregistering with said discharge orice, a valve disc on said stem foropening and closing the outlet port of said measuring chamber inresponse to reciprocal movement of said shank, a oating valve in saidhousing for opening and closing the inlet port into said measuringchamber in response to reciprocal movement of said shank, and a helicalcompression spring engaging said stem and the bottom wall of saidhousing around said inlet port and urging said valve disc against saidgasket at the outlet port of said measuring chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,416,037 Kooperstein May 16, 1922 2,106,649 Oicer Jan. 25,1938 2,216,347 Humbard Oct. l, 1940 2,429,003 Trapet Oct. 14, 19472,631,814 Abplanalp Mar. 17, 1953

